Monday, February 9, 2009
It’s hard to ignore the turmoil that has been our economy for the past few years. Gas and food prices have been fluctuating and remain unstable, and pretty soon a lot of us will be entering a shrinking job market that continues to downsize.
Being broke these days isn’t uncommon, especially for students. In addition to our economic struggles, we already lead stress-filled lives with part-time jobs, exams and pending graduations. But it’s how we deal with the stress and hardships that is important.
During the past few months, our papers have been littered with accounts of Americans who have buckled under the pressure. Crime rates have increased, and so have the number of suicides. All in all, there are a lot of pissed-off, stressed-out, broke people. Although most of us are not suicidal or on the verge of breaking the law, I just want to remind everyone that there are ways to save cash, and your sanity, without going to extremes.
There is an endless list of little things we can do to save extra cash here and there. Not cranking the heat to 80 degrees after that half-hour shower is one thing. On Jan. 26 The Kansan featured a story, “House appliances in standby drain energy,” that offered tips on how to save money on your energy bill by way of appliances. I now unplug my microwave when it’s not in use.
One amenity that I chose to give up about a year ago was cable. It’s been hard living without my weekly doses of “Prison Break” and “King of Queens”; it used to be my favorite form of procrastination. But instead, I choose to continue to live a somewhat sane life during this economically trying time that has proved fatal for so many.
We can all learn from others, too. Ask your grandparents what it was like during the first recession. They could tell some boring, yet helpful, stories. Personally, mine are quick to tell a “Back in my day” story where the moral is always that less is more. Or, you can find a broke friend and ask them how they manage the bills and weekend activities on a budget.
Whether it’s switching from name brand to generic or making sure it’s dollar night and that there are drink specials, there are a myriad of money savers. Ultimately, throughout the past couple of years I’ve discovered that cutting back on the things that seem big allows for a little more freedom and a lot less stress.
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Comments
McNaughton: Plenty of possible money savers, if we live with less
I am not giving up my cable, no how, now way. I watch MSNBC news a lot and sci-fi. Dollar Tree is a good place to find some cleaning supplies. I buy 99% at Wal-Mart and even get my hair cut there. Yes they do a good job! Just as good as Smart Cuts or any of those places and it is convenient to have everything in one place. Hint, ask for Tiffany at the Wal-Mart salon. You have to be willing to spend some time and really look at the prices to get the best deals. Since I heard about it, I have been unplugging the computer and TV at night and also the kitchen appliances when I am not using them. It is a bit of a pain. You can also call the utilities and get on the level payment plan which will reduce your payments and you will know exactly how much your bill will be every month, no surprises.
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